E-Mail 'A Proposal for a Better System for Sleeping in the Wilderness, by ACC' To A Friend

Email a copy of 'A Proposal for a Better System for Sleeping in the Wilderness, by ACC' to a friend

* Required Field






Separate multiple entries with a comma. Maximum 5 entries.



Separate multiple entries with a comma. Maximum 5 entries.


E-Mail Image Verification

Loading ... Loading ...

19 Comments

  1. I have experienced the cold backside first hand during my first attempt to use a hammock on an expedition.

    Hennessy tries to make it easier to get in and out of, and integrates their bug mesh into the hammock. As I get older and rarely sleep through the night, getting in and out of the hammock becomes a fine art.

    Another interesting trick is to use a nylon sling with a carabiner and rappelling rings instead of knots to suspend the hammock.

    There are a lot of interesting ideas to be tried out, but do develop the expertise BEFORE you head out.

    The hammock can be very comfortable, but does depend on perfectly spaced trees with a clearing between them.

  3. Some good thoughts put down on paper (well, not paper – but you know what I mean :^). Thanks for them.

    We live in the buggy south that have many stinging / biting creatures that wander around the dark. Fire ants, scorpions, centipedes and others – not a fun thing to worry about in the dark when you want to sleep. Hammocks make a great alternative and if you take care to protect the trunks you tie to, leave very little footprint for anyone to know you were there.

  5. As I fellow hammock advocate when I backpack I thought you did a great job of explaining the pros, cons, and nuances of hammock sleeping. You also gave solutions to some of the more common issues people have.

    When backpacking I try to pack items that have as many uses as possible. For example, rather than carrying a rainfly or a tarp, I use my USGI poncho as my rainfly. This gives me a rainfly for my sleep system, and when not in camp provides me another waterproof layer or a means to turtle (waterproof) my pack. My rainjacket doubles as a waterproof layer and a windbreaker.

    Finding items that can provide utility in multiple areas will help you keep your pack weight down, which is a good thing for backpacking or a Go bag.

  6. Check out the ENO JungleNest hammock. Bug net is attached and can be unzipped and left to the side when not needed. A cheap alternative for cold butt insulation is Reflectix mylar insulation bubble wrap. It can be cut to any shape and length and reflects your body heat back even when compressed. You can purchase a jumbo body pillow case, put the insulation inside the case, and sleep nice and toasty.It folds up to a compact size small enough to fit in the hydration pouch of a backpack.

  7. I have some Snugpack gear but prefer Wiggy’s. His stuff is all American made and is superior to anything out there. I think I have helped send Wiggy’s children through college with my purchases.

  8. Camping hammocks are like bagpipes, difficult to operate and one either loves or hates them. I’ve found that they take some serious fiddling to learn how to set up in a way that works for each individual. Another issue is cost, they can cost less than a few hundred to over a thousand bucks. I am in the over a thousand bucks category and would not change a thing with my present kit. Buyer be aware that simply buying some hammock stuff isn’t the end of your journey to find the most comfortable way to sleep outdoors.

  9. One further thought: If you prefer to be able to zip up in your under quilt, Snugpak also makes what they call a “hammock cocoon” for about $70. They say it wraps around the hammock like a banana peel. I haven’t used it myself, but it looks warm.

  11. Great write up on Hammocks!
    I am also a relatively new hammock adoptee, now at age 62, after having grown up trailer camping as a kid and owning several motorhomes in past years. I decided to take up backpacking to figure out how to bug out if I ever needed to and went straight to a hammock instead of a tent. Just to give your readers and our fellow preppers some more alternatives or ideas, here were my choices (all based on Warbonnet products which I found to be great for my use anyway):
    1.) Hammock: Warbonnet Ridge Runner Bridge. Bridge hammock has spreaders to hold the hammock out. Double layer bottom can hold a sleeping pad, but extra layer is also good for Texas mosquitoes with long stingers. Has built-in mosquito netting. I can sleep on my side in this hammock without any difficulty. The way the hammock fits, I have never needed a pillow.
    2.) Warbonnet mamba top quilt (20 degrees): Use instead of a sleeping bag. It has a foot box and is otherwise a sleeping bag without a bottom to save weight (sleeping bag insulated bottoms are useless when compressed with your body weight.)
    3.) Warbonnet Lynx Underquilt, 20 deg, Full: This attaches to the underside of the hammock and serves as the bottom half of a sleeping bag. Totally stops the Cold But Syndrome which is a problem below about 65 degrees.
    4.) Warbonnet Tarp Cloudburst
    On my first outing, a Texas cold front came through with 1.5 inches of rain, wind and lightning. Several tent campers choose poor locations and flooded. I was completely dry. I did have to re-stake one of the tarp stakes which pulled out in the rain and strong winds. The temperature dropped from 91 Friday night to 57 Saturday morning – thereby convincing me to purchase an underquilt (instead of using a windshield reflector as a bottom insulator!).
    I am not affiliated with the company “Warbonnet Outdoors” that sells these products, but the company is in the US and has a wide selection of products all built in Colorado I believe.

  12. Warbonnet is a USA cottage business and there are others that specialize in hammocks and related gear. One of my favorites is Hammockgear.com for top end down insulation. Warning this stuff is extremely top end with prices to match.

  14. Space blankets extend your season…for really cold nights I lay 1 over the top cord inside the hammock and another under me. I’ve been comfortable down well below freezing with these added comforts

  15. I bought a beater with what I thought was a roll of bagpad. It turned out to be a roll of double faced aluminin faced bubble rap, Heat duct insulation! Knock the cold down, the heat up?
    Fully able to be customized, in as many layers asyou like. I havn’t tried it yet but,,,,
    It’s made to stop heat transfer.

  17. Jake, the total weight for my system is a little less than 7 pounds and 5 ounces. That’s less than my tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad and ground cloth, by about 15 ounces. Hope it helps.

  18. Another benefit of hammock sleeping is concealability. Whereas tent campers are always looking for a clearing, a hammock camper is pleased to head back INTO the woods to find a couple of trees. I am a hammock camper and my tarp is a woodlands camo design. Viewed from even twenty yards away in the woods my setup can be seen if you know it’s there, but doesn’t cast the “expected recognizable profile” to immediately draw attention if you didn’t know it was there. In a bugout situation where there may be unfriendlies the ability to camp comfortably in the deep woods is an important advantage.

  19. This is a great post, Hugh. I used to have Warbonnet’s Blackbird Hammock System. It’s great because it’s lightweight and easy to set up. Warbonnet has specialized in making super durable and high-quality hammock systems. I find that hammocks have a lot of advantages over using tents during camping. One, hammocks are lighter to carry. Two, hammocks are less expensive, and will also keep you dry always.

Comments are closed.